Indian Defence Review

Honeywell announced that its Green Jet Fuel has successfully powered the first transatlantic biofuel flight, which landed at Paris-Le Bourget Airport.

The Honeywell-operated Gulfstream G450 became the first aircraft to fly from North America to Europe with a 50/50 blend of Honeywell Green Jet Fuel and petroleum-based jet fuel, powering one of the aircraft’s Rolls-Royce engines. It was also the first business jet to be powered by a biofuel.

The biofuel was derived from camelina, a dedicated energy crop that does not compete in the food chain as it grows in rotation with wheat acreage and can also grow on marginal land. The feedstock for this flight was grown and harvested by Sustainable Oils, a U.S.-based producer of camelina-based technology. The flight departed Morristown, N.J., at 9 p.m. Friday and arrived in Paris about seven hours after takeoff. The jet closely followed the route taken by Charles Lindbergh’s famous first flight across the Atlantic.

Based on lifecycle analyses, use of Honeywell Green Jet Fuel on the flight saved approximately 5.5 metric tons of net carbon dioxide emissions compared to the same flight powered by petroleum-based fuel. “This first biofuel trip across the Atlantic, along with more than a dozen other commercial and military test flights conducted to date, demonstrates that Honeywell Green Jet Fuel more than meets the demanding requirements for air travel,” said Jim Rekoske, vice president and general manager of Renewable Energy and Chemicals for Honeywell’s UOP. “Now that the initial ASTM International approval is in place, we are one step closer to commercial use that will help the aviation community reduce its carbon footprint and dependence on crude.” “Gulfstream is committed to achieving business aviation’s ambitious goals on emissions reductions,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test for Gulfstream. “These include carbon neutral growth by 2020 and a reduction in total carbon emissions of 50 percent by 2050 relative to 2005. We are working with engine companies and other innovators, such as Honeywell, to ensure we can meet these initiatives. We are very proud to participate in this historic demonstration.”